Why you should never OWN a dog

'He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog.

You are his life, his love, his leader.

He will be yours, faithful and true, until the last beat of his heart.

You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion'.

This quote inspires me every time I read it, the author is unknown but it is a well known quote. It captures the energy of what i believe is at the heart of living with animals - mutual respect and partnership.

We all need a sense of belonging, its what helps us create stability and be ourselves. The freedom to be who we are not what someone else wants us to be allows us to be our best, confident selves. This is just as true for dogs.

It astounds me that most people see this wonderful relationship as ownership ... you own a dog - ok legally that might be true but ownership for me also means that you can dispose of a belonging. I can take a old handbag to the charity shop, sell it on ebay or even get rid of it ... why does society accept that it is ok to do the same with a loving, living creature - well simply it is not acceptable.

When I work with people and their dogs, I focus on deepening the relationship. What makes me different to other behaviourists is that I am a qualified coach - I help people get more from their lives and when I am working as part of Bright Paws I am doing exactly that. I help them put in place structure and environments that allow the dog and owners to really benefit from each others love, where the dog can be itself and be settled and where they can have fun together.

I don't believe in ownership, I certainly don't believe in pack leader theory and I 100% believe that having a dog is the most wonderful gift, that when you have children don't look at it as 'what if', know that your child will grow up with the most wonderful teacher, companion and friend.

My dream for 2011 is to write a book, I've started that journey and I hope to publish it this year.

I work with people and their dogs on a 121 basis in the North East, I also offer telephone consultations worldwide.

If you want to experience a new way of looking at your relationship with your pet please contact me rebecca.armstrong@brightpaws.co.uk